Garden Stakes

Customize your garden with some laser cut garden stakes!

Open Inkscape

Set the document size to 4" x 4". This helps us work within the size we want to laser cut.

Text Tool

Click on the Text Tool and click in the work area. Enter the name of one of your (yet to be?) garden guests.

Garden stakes are sometimes written vertically. To vertically align your text, click the Vertical Text icon while your text is active. Or, you can rotate your text with the Select Tool. (Try using a negative value for “Spacing between numbers” if your text is too far apart. A negative value will bring them much closer together.)

Create the Shape of the Stake

Some ideas (pick one, or two):

• • Use the Circle Tool for a round shape.

  • Use the Rectangle and adjust the Ry for a rounded shape.

  • Use the Star/Polygon Tool to create a badge-like shape.

    • If you use Circle, Rectangle, or Star/Polygon: When you are done making modifications, Select your shape and go to Path>Object to Path. This turns the generated “shape” into a vector with path nodes. This is “best practice.”

  • Use the Pencil Tool and increase Smooth (30-40) for a custom shape.

  • Or try the Bezier for lines and curves (try Simplify if it’s too “busy”).

Add the stake

The fastest way to add a stake is to use the Bezier Tool to draw a triangle for the base of your shape.

"Union" the shape and the stake

With the triangle base and the shape selected, go to Path > Union. They should now appear as one object (see Boolean Operations for more context).

Resizing text into your design

Use the Select Tool to increase or decrease the text.

Set the lines and fill for the garden stake

Select the Fill (none), Stroke paint (Red), Stroke style (0.003")

For your text, use Fill and the color Black.

Save your file

Save your file as an SVG.

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